A TENACIOUS teenager met the Duke of Edinburgh when she picked up a prestigious award at St James's Palace.

Charlotte Claughton, 19, of Coxes Farm Road, Billericay, was invited to the palace, in London, after achieving her Duke of Edinburgh gold award.

She met His Royal Highness and was handed the award by former West Ham United midfielder, Martin Allen.

It took Charlotte, who attended the Billericay School, four years to secure her bronze, silver and gold awards.

Tasks included a 50-mile trek through Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, helping clean and renovate Norwich Cathedral, working as a young leader with the girl guides, litter picking, as well as laying paths and other maintainence work at Hanningfield Reservoir nature reserve.

Charlotte, who is now a student at Lincoln University, said: "It can be hard work and you have to stick at things, but the awards have given me some of the best experiences of my life.

"Travelling all the way up to St James Palace was really exciting."

Mum Janette, dad Peter and younger sister Amber, 17, who has already achieved her silver Duke of Edinburgh award, are proud of Charlotte.

Janette said: "She has done really, really well. I think the Duke of Edinburgh awards are brilliant for young people.

"They take a lot of time and effort, but they're character building and Charlotte has come out of it with a sense of achieving something special."